Thinking Socially: Teaching Social Knowledge to Foster Social Behavioral Change

Crooke, Pamela J.; Winner, Michelle Garcia; Olswang, Lesley B.

Topics in Language Disorders, v36 n3 p284-298 Jul-Sep 2016

This article addresses the complexity of what it means to "be social" from the perspective of social thinking. This perspective recognizes social cognitive processing abilities as the foundation for social knowledge and, in turn, social behaviors. The article further describes variables that influence how one understands how to do what is expected in different social situations and how development, stakeholders, and context influence that process. Challenges in "being social" for individuals with autism spectrum disorders are discussed, as well as differences between behavior-based and cognitive-based therapies. Finally, an example of one Social Thinking strategy-based treatment framework, Social Behavior Mapping, is used to illustrate the essential elements of cognitive behavioral therapy.